Coeur d'Alene, Idaho / November 12-14, 2025
Phil Gore Biography
Phil Gore, PhD, a former Seattle-area school board member, currently serves as the Director of Board Services for the Vermont School Boards Association. Previous to his current role, Phil served as the Division Director for Board Development with the Texas Association of School Boards, Director of State Association Partnerships with the National School Boards Association, and Director of Leadership Development Services with the Washington School Directors’ Association. He is coeditor of Improving School Board Effectiveness: A Balanced Governance Approach, published by Harvard Education Press in 2015. Phil’s PhD is in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Washington. His doctoral research focused on what school boards consider when evaluating a superintendent. Phil has an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from UW and a BA in Management from Northwest Christian University. He is currently writing a book with a draft title of Confessions of a School Board Member: What Every Superintendent Needs to Know.
Prior to working in school governance, Phil was a pastor and youth minister for twenty years. When not assisting school boards and superintendents, Phil enjoys mountain climbing, cycling, kayaking, and long distance running with his wife and children.
KEYNOTE TOPIC: Reaching for the Summit of Student Success
Governance is a team endeavor that requires a compelling vision, route finding, clear communication, shared leadership, adaptability, courage, persistence, and total commitment. Consider how lessons from mountain climbing illustrate effective governance. Gain insights from school board research that you can apply to improving the work of your board and improved experiences, opportunities, and outcomes for your students.
